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Highland Middle School

Public Grades 5-8
54th
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 327 Arkansas Middle Schools
Better than 83% of Arkansas middle schools
Summary

Highland Middle School in Hardy, AR, serves 442 students in grades 5 through 8 and is part of the high-performing Highland School District, which ranks in the top 10% of districts statewide.

This school stands out for its exceptional STEM program, particularly in Algebra, where 100% of 8th graders were proficient in 2025-2026—far exceeding the state average of 36.9%. Science scores are also consistently strong, running 7 to 11 percentage points above state averages. While math and science are clear strengths, English Language Arts (ELA) performance is more mixed; the school's overall ELA proficiency of 43.3% is above the state average, but 7th grade ELA (37.2%) fell slightly below the state mark. The school has shown remarkable resilience, earning 4-star ratings in recent years despite serving a community where 72% of students come from low-income families. With a favorable student-to-teacher ratio of 14.1:1 and per-student spending of about $12,014, the school invests wisely in its resources.

There are no other schools within 20 miles of Highland Middle School for direct comparison, but its performance relative to state averages tells a compelling story. The school is a powerhouse in advanced math, driving the district's high Algebra scores, and it consistently outperforms the state in mathematics across all grade levels. Its primary area for growth is improving ELA proficiency, especially for 7th graders, to match its stellar math and science results. Overall, Highland Middle School is a high-achieving, resilient school that effectively overcomes socioeconomic challenges to deliver a quality education.

442
Students ?
14.1
Student/teacher ratio ?
$12,014
Per pupil spending ?
71.9%
Free/discounted lunch ?
 1921 Hwy 62-412
       Hardy, AR  72542

(870) 856-3284

District: Highland School District


Students who attend Highland Middle School usually attend:

High:    Highland High School

Feeder schools for Highland Middle School:

Elementary:    Cherokee Elementary School
Racial breakdown:

White:
93.7%
Hispanic:
2.5%
African American:
2.0%
more
 See top rated Arkansas middle schools

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At a glance
▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 89th percentile in 2023 → 83rd in 2026
Strengths
✓Test scores above the Arkansas average (49% vs 41% meeting standards)
✓Ranks in the top 17% of Arkansas middle schools
Worth a look
!Ranking has slipped from its 89th-percentile peak (2023) to 83rd (2026)
Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?
This school49%
District avg50%
Arkansas avg41%
54th of 327
Arkansas public middle schools ?
Top 17%▲ up 7 pts since 2016
From top 24% (2016) to top 17% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Arkansas Middle Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
21st of 251Highland School District among Arkansas districts
Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankArkansas percentileRating
202676.054 of 32783.5%★★★★☆
202563.098 of 32469.8%★★★★☆
202479.341 of 33587.8%★★★★☆
202382.037 of 33088.8%★★★★☆
202274.363 of 31880.2%★★★★☆
202155.5150 of 33054.5%★★★☆☆
201957.5134 of 31958.0%★★★☆☆
201859.3134 of 31857.9%★★★☆☆
201761.9121 of 31561.6%★★★☆☆
201669.374 of 31276.3%★★★★☆
201578.132 of 27588.4%★★★★☆
201469.478 of 28072.1%★★★★☆
201365.497 of 27865.1%★★★☆☆
201268.680 of 26569.8%★★★★☆
201170.073 of 26472.3%★★★★☆
201065.386 of 25466.1%★★★☆☆
200983.917 of 24092.9%★★★★★
200868.660 of 22373.1%★★★★☆
200765.776 of 22566.2%★★★☆☆
200657.891 of 20655.8%★★★☆☆
200565.273 of 20864.9%★★★☆☆
By subject vs Arkansas (2025-2026) ?
Algebra100%+63 vs state
Science56%+12 vs state
Mathematics52%+8 vs state
Reading46%+5 vs state
English Language Arts43%+4 vs state

★
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Frequently Asked Questions about Highland Middle School

Highland Middle School ranks 54th of 327 Arkansas middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Highland Middle School usually go on to attend Highland High School

In the 2024-25 school year, 442 students attended Highland Middle School.

Students at Highland Middle School are 94% White, 2% Hispanic, 2% African American, 1% Two or more races.

Rate Highland Middle School!



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ARArkansas Middle School Rankings

ARArkansas District Rankings

Schools in Hardy, AR

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Latest Arkansas data All new data »
2025–26 ATLAS test scoresJul 13, 2026
2024–25 graduation ratesMar 5, 2026
2019–20 through 2023–24 school spending dataJan 6, 2026
2017–18 through 2024–25 dropout ratesJan 6, 2026


SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.




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